Published by The United States Army Garrison Humphreys Public Affairs Office in coordination with USAG Red Cloud, USAG Yongsan and USAG Daegu Public Affairs Offices This Army newspaper is an authorized publication for members of the Department of Defense. Contents of The Morning Calm are not necessarily official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Government, Department of Defense, or Department of the Army. The editorial content of this biweekly publication is the responsibility of U.S. Army Garrisons in Korea. Circulation: 9,500 Printed by Pyeongtaek Culture Newspaper, a private firm in no way connected with the U.S. Government, under exclusive written contract with the Contracting Command. The civilian printer is responsible for commercial advertising. The appearance of advertising in this publication, including inserts or supplements, does not constitute endorsement by the U.S. Army or Pyeongtaek Culture Newspaper of the products or service advertised. Everything advertised in this publication shall be made available for purchase, use or patronage without regard to race, religion, gender, national origin, age, marital status, physical handicap, political affiliation, or any other non-merit factor of the purchaser, user or patron. If an violation or rejection of this equal opportunity policy by an advertiser is confirmed, the printer shall refuse to print advertising from that source until the violation of the equal opportunity policy is corrected. Submitting stories or photos to The Morning Calm Biweekly Send your Letters to the Managing Editor, guest Commentaries, story submissions, photos and Other items to: clint.l.stone.civ@mail.mil. All items are subject to editing for content and to Insure they conform with DoD guidelines.

1. December 01, 2017 Volume 18, lssue 3Published by U.S. Army IMCOM for those serving in the Republic of Korea
Read the latest news from the Army in Korea online at: www.Army.mil
GARRISONS
USAG RED Cloud/Casey Page 04
USAG Yongsan Page 10
USAG Humphreys Page 18
USAG Daegu Page 24
EXTRAS
HumphreysnewPX Page 02
Wintersafetytraining Page 14
Educationweek Page 18
Daegusolarlightingtube Page 30
Inside this Issue:
Gunnery Prep Page 08
Retiree Appreciation Page 10
Korea Bike Tour Page 16
Technology Unites Page 26
Humphreysopens
agrandnewExchange
By Bob McElroy
USAG Humphreys Public Affairs
CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea – It
was an event that many waited a long
time to see and on Nov. 20 it hap-
pened–Camp Humphreys opened its
new main exchange and it did not dis-
appoint the 5,000 customers who
streamed through itsdoors thatday.
The new Camp Humphreys shop-
ping center is the third-largest in the
world, the largest in the Pacific Region,
and at 300,000 square feet is five times
larger than the 14-year old Exchange it
replaces.
The new PX shopping center has
more than 300,000 square feet of retail
space and features everything from
electronics to clothes, housewares, lin-
ens, furniture, designer handbags, per-
fumes, jewelry, military clothing sales,
13 check out registers and a food court,
Starbucks, Krispy Kreme donuts and a
hostof vendors.
It isenhanced by plentyof parking in
front of the store and is within walking
distance to Army Family Housing and
Soldiers’ barracks.
At the Nov. 20 grand opening, Army
Air Force Exchange Service general
manager and chief executive officer
Tom Shull said the new exchange was
more than justastore.
“This is your gathering place, your
lifeline to America and we’re grateful to
take part in the joy of the holidays to
celebratewithyouandyours,” hesaid.
Shull also praised Eighth Army com-
mander Lt. Gen. Thomas S. Vandal for
hisefforts toopen the newexchange.
“Eighth Army command team, wow,
you’ve got a fearless leader for sure and
he made it happen. We couldn’t be
more pleased to be part of that part-
nership, thank you sir,” Shull said.
Vandal followed joking that the hun-
dreds of shoppers who filled the main
entrance and food court didn’t come to
hear him speak.
“Well, good morning shoppers, I’m
sure most of you don’t want to hear a
long-winded general officer so I’ll keep
this brief,” Vandal said.
Vandal said the new exchange could
not have opened for the holidays if not
fortheefforts many.
“The fact that they were able to pull
thisall togetherand do it in time forour
holiday shopping is absolutely a phe-
nomenal undertaking,” Vandal said.
“Back in March we never thought this
would happen, we were talking about
sometimeFebruary-Marchtimeframe.”
Vandal said the credit goes to the
Humphreys garrison commander, the
Republic of Korea Ministry of National
Defense U.S. Relocation Office and the
AAFES team who pulled itall together.
“Soabsolutely, asuperb job,” hesaid.
Vandal said the new PX Shopping
Center and other new facilities to open
in the next several months represent
the enduring commitment the ROK
and U.S. governments have toward
families, theallianceand thedefenseof
the Republicof Korea.
“We are proud to have this new main
PX. There are other facilities that will
open in the next six months and I’m
telling you this will be the crown jewel
of overseasassignments,”Vandal said.
And with that Vandal, Shull, AAFES
Area Manager Rick Fair, Exchange
General Manager StanleyYoung, Hum-
phreys Garrison Commander Col.
Scott W. Mueller and a host of others
cut the ribbon and the hundreds who
waited patiently in the food court and
shopping mall streamed into the new
store ready toshop.
Business was brisk on opening day
Young said; the new exchange did
about $600,000 in sales. By compari-
son, the highest day for the old store
was $100,000.
Sales on Black Friday, Nov. 24, went
even higher, topping $1.1 million, the
third highest total worldwide, Young
said. Approximately 5,900 customers
shopped thatday.

2. www.army.milMORNING CALMPage 2
Morning CalmThe
Published by
The United States Army Garrison Humphreys
Public Affairs Office
in coordination with
USAG Red Cloud, USAG Yongsan
and USAG Daegu
Public Affairs Office
USAG RED CLOUD
Commander: Col. Brandon D.Newton
Acting Public Affairs Officer: Franklin Fisher
Writer/Editor: Franklin Fisher
Public Affairs NCO: Sgt. James M. Griffin
Editorial Assistant Cpl. Lee Jin-woo and
Pfc. Chae Shin-woo
USAG YONGSAN
Commander: Col. J. Scott Peterson
Public Affairs Officer: Laurri L. Garcia
Command Information Officer: Elizabeth A. Pyon
Editor: Sgt. Brandon J. Thomas
Staff Writers: Sgt. Park Min-je, Cpl. Lee Kyoung-
yoon, and Pfc. Kim, Hee-cheol
USAG HUMPHREYS
Commander: Col. Scott W. Mueller
Public Affairs Officer: Bob McElroy
Command Information Officer: Jim McGee
Managing Editor: Clint Stone
Staff Writer: Cpl. Kim, Dong Hyun
Interns: Kim, Jae Woong and Lee, Ji Min
USAG DAEGU
Commander: Col. Robert P. Mann
Public Affairs Officer: Teresa Kaltenbacher
Command Information Officer: Anthony Mayne
StaffWriters:Sgt.Soh,Jung-hanand
Pfc.Kim,Bum-joon
This Army newspaper is an authorized
publication for members of the Department of
Defense. Contents of The Morning Calm are not
necessarily official views of, or endorsed by, the
U.S. Government, Department of Defense, or
Department of the Army. The editorial content of
this biweekly publication is the responsibility of
U.S. Army Garrisons in Korea. Circulation: 9,500
Printed by Pyeongtaek Culture Newspaper, a
private firm in no way connected with the U.S.
Government, under exclusive written contract
with the Contracting Command. The civilian
printer is responsible for commercial advertising.
The appearance of advertising in this publication,
including inserts or supplements, does not
constitute endorsement by the U.S. Army or
Pyeongtaek Culture Newspaper of the products
or service advertised. Everything advertised in
this publication shall be made available for
purchase, use or patronage without regard to
race, religion, gender, national origin, age,
marital status, physical handicap, political
affiliation, or any other non-merit factor of the
purchaser, user or patron. If an violation or
rejection of this equal opportunity policy by an
advertiser is confirmed, the printer shall refuse to
print advertising from that source until the
violation of the equal opportunity policy is
corrected.
Submitting stories or photos to
The Morning Calm Biweekly
Send your Letters to the Managing Editor, guest
Commentaries, story submissions, photos and
Other items to: clint.l.stone.civ@mail.mil.
All items are subject to editing for content and
to Insure they conform with DoD guidelines.
CEO: Chung, JongSoon(Sophia)
Edit planners: Lee, SangBae
Editor: Hong, JeongHee
Design: Cho, SungNam
Head Manager: Chon, SangSong 010-3511-2328
Commercial Advertsing
Comm: (031) 651-7211 / Fax: (031) 651-7210
Location & Mailing address : 3rd Fl, #522,
Gyonggi-daero, Pyongtaek City.
SUBMISSIONS OR COMMENTS:
Phone: DSN 754-1096
Managing Editor: clint.l.stone.civ@mail.mil
EighthArmycommanderLt.Gen.
ThomasS.VandalsaidthenewPX
ShoppingCenterandotherfacilitiesto
openinthenextfewmonthswillmake
CampHumphreys“thecrownjewelof
overseasassignments.”— U.S. Army
photo by Bob McElroy
ArmyAirForceExchangeServiceExecutive
DirectorandChiefExecutiveOfficerTomShull
wasonhandtoofficiallyopenthenewCamp
HumphreysMainExchangeShoppingCenter.
At300,000squarefeetitisthethird-largest
AAFESshoppingcenterintheworld.Shullsaid
thenewshoppingcenterwasthecommunity’s
gatheringplaceandlifelinetoAmerica.
— U.S. Army photo by Bob McElroy
BeforethenewCamp
HumphreysMainExchange
opened,localKorean
dancersthrilledand
entertainedthecrowdwith
theiracrobaticmoves.
— U.S. Army photo by Bob
McElroy

3. December 01, 2017
Page 3Advertisement

4. www.army.milMORNING CALMPage 4
Our Question:
“On the weekend or whenever else you have time, are there any places in Korea that
you especially like going to, and if so, where are they and what things do you like
about them? ”
Spc. Andre Simmons, infantryman, Company
C, 1st Cavalry Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment,
2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st
Cavalry Division.
Pfc. Edward Charameda, wheeled vehicle
mechanic, 61st Support Maintenance Company,
194th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion,
2nd Infantry Division/ROK-US Combined
Division.
Pfc. Deanglo Harris, rocket artillery fire
direction specialist, Battery A, 6th Battalion,
37th Field Artillery Regiment, 210th Field
Artillery Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division/
ROKUS Combined Division.
Pfc. Jessica Brown, Army paralegal specialist,
Headquarters and Headquarters Battery,
1st Battalion, 38th Field Artillery Regiment,
210th Field Artillery Brigade, 2nd Infantry
Division/ ROK-US Combined Division.
Spc. Son Cheon-Se, combat medic,
Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 6th
Battalion, 52nd Air Defense Artillery, 35th Air
Defense Artillery Brigade, Eighth Army.
Pfc. Chase Combs, Multiple Launch Rocket
System crewmember, Battery A, 2nd
Battalion, 4th Field Artillery Regiment, 210th
Field Artillery Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division/
ROK-US Combined Division.
“I go to Seoul. I like to go there because they
have lots of shops and cool things. They have
this place in Myeong-dong whereyou can get a
2-foot high ice-creamcone. Itdoesn’t meltvery
fast. And that’ssomething thatyoudon’tsee in
the Statesveryoften.”
“I go to the gym. I don’t really go off post.
The gym is a good stress reliever and it helps
me improve on everything that I do.”
“I like to go to Myeong-dong because
they have really big malls, I enjoy
shopping and I enjoy eating at the many
restaurants there with my girlfriend.”
“Mount Soyosan has been my favorite
place to go so far. To be honest, I am
actually afraid of heights. But, when I
climbed that mountain I felt empowered.
Because of that, I decided to go to Air
Assault School.”
“I like to go sightseeing. The main one that
is my favorite to go to is Seoul Tower. I like
going to Seoul Towerbecauseyoucan basically
see the whole city from the tower. They
have really good restaurants and the view is
breathtaking.”
“I like to go to Gangnam because it has the
Coex Mall and the aquarium. I especially like
the aquarium, because I have always been
interested in aquatic life. I love to fish. So,
being able togoseeAsian fish is reallycool.”
U.S. Army photos by Sgt. James M. Griffin
AREA I MAN ON THE STREET

5. December 01, 2017
Page 5Advertisement

6. www.army.milMORNING CALMPage 6

7. December 01, 2017
Page 7Advertisement

8. www.army.milMORNING CALMPage 8
OnCamp
Caseyin
DongducheonNov.15,a
workcrewfromU.S.ArmyGarrisonArea1Directorate
ofPublicWorksdropsoffaboxthatwillbeusedto
storesaltforuseduringthefast-approachingwinter.
Theywereoneofmanycrewsthatsetout100salt
boxesthatdayatbuildingsonAreaIcamps,including
CampCaseyandCampHoveyinDongducheonand
CampRedCloudinUijeongbu.Theboxeswillcontain
bagsofsaltthatbuildingmanagerscandrawonto
spreadonwalkwaysasasafetymeasureagainst
winterslipsandfalls.Settingoutsaltboxesisoneof
numerousstepsDPWtakestoprepareAreaIfor
winter.— U.S. Army photo by Sgt. James M.
Griffin
ASIGNOFWIN-
TER’SAPPROACH:
GETTINGOUTTHE
SALTBOXES
TANKSOF1st
CAVALRYDIVISION
PREPAREFOR
UPCOMINGGUNNERY
QUALIFICATIONAn M1A2 Abrams
tank of Company B, 1st
Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment
rumbles forward Nov. 13 during a Situ-
ational Training Exercise at a training
range in Paju. The STX allows tank crews to
hone the skills they will put to the test in an up-
coming gunnery qualification. The battalion is
part of the 1st Cavalry Division’s 2nd Armored
Brigade Combat Team, which is on a nine-
month Korea rotation as part of the 2nd Infan-
try Division/ ROK-US Combined Division. –
U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Patrick Eakin
Brigade Combat Team, which is on a nine-
month Korea rotation as part of the 2nd Infan-
–

9. December 01, 2017
Page 9Advertisement

10. Page 10 www.army.milMORNING CALM
BestVolunteers of the
Quarter recognized by Garrison
The annualThe annualThe annualThe annualThe annualThe annualThe annualThe annualThe annualThe annualThe annual
RetireeRetiree
The annual
Retiree
The annualThe annual
Retiree
The annualThe annual
Retiree
The annual
RetireeRetireeRetireeRetireeRetireeRetireeRetireeRetireeRetiree
Appreciation Day
U.S.ArmyGarrisonYongsan
ChaplainLt.Col.TerrellJones
presentsanawardtoSgt.
Maj.(Retired)Christopher
VaiaduringthePrayerBreak-
fastattheDragonHillLodge
inYongsanNov.18. The
PrayerBreakfastpreceded
theannualRetireeApprecia-
tionDay.– U.S. Army photo
by Pfc. Sidney Perry
U.S.EighthArmycommanderLt.Gen.
ThomasVandalspeakstoonlooking
veteransandsoldiersduringRetiree
AppreciationDayinYongsanNov.18.
RetireeAppreciationDayisawaytogive
backtotheU.S.veteransandtheir
families.– U.S. Army photo by Pfc.
Sidney Perry
U.S.ForcesKoreacom-
manderGen.Vincent
BrooksandCommandSgt.
Maj.StevenPaytonshows
appreciationtotheservice
membersfortheirpartin
thesuccessoftheRetiree
AppreciationDayeventin
YongsanNov.18.– U.S.
Army photo by Pfc. Sidney
Perry
U.S.ArmyGarrisonYongsanChaplainLt.Col.TerrellJonesjoins
insingingtheArmysongduringtheRetireeAppreciationDay
Nov.18inYongsan. – U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Sidney Perry
U.S.ArmyGarrisonYongsan
Commandteamrecognized
Volunteersofthe4thQuarter
nominees:ChiefWarrant
Officer2ShaneBrasher,
MyraGarcia,MaelKim,
JaymeDeLaFuente,Kimber-
lyHarden,Kang,Shin-baek,
andRobertL.Ferguson,Nov.
8,attheSouthPostChapel.
TheVolunteeroftheQuarter
honorwenttoKang,
Shin-baek,whohasassisted
manydifferentprogram
managersatACS.
– U.S. Army photo by Sgt.
Park, Min-je

11. December 01, 2017
Page 11Advertisement

12. Thanks giving
Story hour
By Sgt. Park, Min-je
USAG Yongsan Public Affairs
USAG YONGSAN - The U.S. Army Garrison
Yongsan Library hosts the 2017 Thanksgiving
Story hour, Nov. 4, at the Yongsan Library,
inviting USAG Yongsan Commander Col. J.
Scott Peterson and his spouse to read stories
to more than 80 children and theirparents.
“We designed the event to encourage chil-
dren to develop their
reading habits and early
literacy,” said Esther Kim,
Yongsan Library supervisory
librarian. “It was an excellent
opportunity for the USAG Yong-
san community children and their parents to
meet with Col. and Mrs. Peterson, while cel-
ebrating Thanksgiving in the library with
other military families.”
The event kicked off with welcome re-
marks by Kim and an invocation by USAG
Yongsan Chaplain Lt. Col. Terrell Jones. The
Eighth Army Band Woodwind Quintet
joined the program to provide cheerful mu-
sic, furtherstimulating children’screativity.
Peterson read twopicture books toayoung
engaged audience: “One is a feast for mouse:
a Thanksgiving Tale,” by Judy Cox and illus-
trat-
ed by Jef-
fery Ebbeler, and
“A Turkey for Thanksgiving,” by Eve Bunting
and illustrated by Dianede Groat.
A special Thanksgiving meal and refresh-
ments followed the reading, served by the
Chaplain, librarystaff and volunteers.
In December, the library will continue to
provide other special programs including
Christmas Storyhour and the Christmas Ball
Clay Craft. Call theYongsan Libraryat (DSN)
723-7380, or check the official USAG Yong-
san Facebook for moredetails.x
U.S.ArmyGarrison
YongsanCommander
Col.J.ScottPeterson
readsastorybookto
childrenduringthe
2017Thanksgiving
storyhour,Nov.4,at
theYongsanLibrary.
– U.S. Army photo by
Sgt. Park, Min-je
U.S.ArmyGarrisonYongsan
ChaplainLt.Col.TerrellJones
andtheYongsanLibrarystaffs
servespecialThanksgiving
mealandrefreshmentto
childrenandtheirparents
afterthestoryhourfinished.
– U.S. Army photo by Sgt.
Park, Min-je
USAG Yongsan’s way of
celebrating Thanksgiving
TheUSAGYongsanUnitMinistryTeamhostedtheThanksgivingPrayer
Luncheon,Nov.16,attheYongsanMainPostClub.Theluncheon
providedmusicperformedbythe8thArmyBandBrassQuintetand
RSOKATUSASoldierswhileguestsenjoyedtheirthanksgivingmeal.
– U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Kim, Hee-cheol
Turkey-trot5KRuntookplaceNov.18,infrontoftheYongsanCollier
CommunityFitnessCenter.Familiesandfriendsparticipatedtogether
tocelebrateThanksgivinginspiteofthecoldweather.– U.S. Army
photo by Spc. David Garcia
Thanksgiving
Luncheon
Turkey-trot
5K Run
www.army.milMORNING CALMPage 12

13. December 01, 2017
Page 13Advertisement
● Camp Kim USO
(COM)02-6383-2570Ext.1 (DSN)724-7003Ext.1
● Camp Humphreys(Pyeongtaek)
(COM)070-4194-7142
koridoor@koridoor.co.kr www.koridoor.co.kr
Reservation

14. www.army.milMORNING CALMPage 14
FallandWinterSafetyTraining:
weatherpreparedness
By Cpl. Lee, Kyoung-yoon
USAG Yongsan Public Affairs
USAG YONGSAN - The U.S. Army Garrison Yong-
san Safety Office hosted the first fall and wintersafe-
ty training of fiscal year 2018 Nov. 2, at the Yongsan
Multi-Purpose Training Facility. This training is
mandatory for all Service members, Civilians and
KATUSAs. The training focuses on weather prepara-
tion, in particular risk management, cold weather
injuryprevention, and safewinterdriving.
Risk management is the first and foremost strate-
gyused to minimize, monitor, and control thepossi-
bility of accidents during the fall and winter season.
In general, it is like having insurance with the ability
to prevent accidents from happening. This proce-
dure warns people to stop and think before they act.
Preventing burst water pipes in advance can be a
great example of risk management during the fall
and winter season. For example, freezing tempera-
tures during the winter often means frozen and vul-
nerable water pipes. One water pipe can cause more
than $5,000 in waterdamage. It is important to edu-
catethepublicon how topreventthisaccident.
There are various cold weather injuries resulting
from blisters, frostbite and hypothermia. Blisters oc-
cur incold and wet temperaturesabove freezing. The
mostcommonlyaffected areasare theears, nose, fin-
gers and toes, causing skin to get red, hot, itchy and
become numb. It can easily happen within a few
hours of exposure to freezing tem-
peratures. Trench foot is a cold
weather injury that results from
long exposure to wet conditions in
damp socks and boots. The damp-
ness softens the skin, resulting in
tissue loss and it becomes vulnera-
ble to infection. Frostbite occurs
when all layers of the skin freeze,
turning red with blisters and, in
worst cases, effectively causing the
skin to die and turn black. Hypo-
thermia occurs when extreme heat
islostinthebody, bringing thebody
temperature to under 95 degrees
Fahrenheit.
These cold weather injuries can
be easily prevented by following several precautions.
It is essential toalways keep the bodywarm. Contin-
uous movement exercises the big muscles, generat-
ing heat. Avoiding tobacco products is also helpful
as tobacco decreases blood circulation. Drinking
warm liquids and sugar can produce energy, which
helps the bodygenerate heat. Moving towarmareas,
having proper clothing, changing out of damp socks
intodrysocksareall ways toensureasafewinter.
Extra attention is needed when driving on frozen
roads during the winter. Before the weather turns,
drivers should winterize their vehicles by checking
the batterystatus, hazard lights, heaters, and brakes.
Most importantly, they should install snow tires in
case of slippery roads. On the road drivers must
driveslowlyand triple thedistance between theircar
and the car in front of them. For braking, gentle
pressure is recommended as sudden actions might
lead to a tire skid. Occasionally, drivers may run into
black ice, which is a dull sheen on the road. In this
case, drivers should not panic. Any excessive cruise
control and sudden movements will worsen the sit-
uation. Drivers should gently steer in the direction
of theskidding of therearof thevehicle.
For more informationonwintersafety, pleasecon-
tact the USAG-Yongsan Safety Office at DSN 738-
7206.x
Happy Birthday,
Marines
Ralph Moore, USAG Casey/Yongsan and Area I/II safety manager
talks about ladder safety during the fall/winter safety training. – U.S.
Army photo by Sgt. Brandon Thomas
InfrontoftheU.S.Forces
KoreaHeadquartersNov.8,
MarinesassignedtoU.S.Marine
ForcesKoreagiveahistorylesson
oftheproudMarineCorpsasthey
celebratetheir242ndbirthday.The
ceremonykickedoffbyperformancesfromthe
RepublicofKorea’sMarineCorpsBandandCeremonial
DrillTeamfollowedbyspeechesgivenbyU.S.Marinesand
ROKMarinesclothedinhistoricaluniformsstartingfrom
theRevolutionaryWartothemodern-dayMarine.The
ceremonyconcludedwiththetraditionalcuttingofthecake
byguestspeakerMaj.Gen.JamesLukeman,U.S.Marine
CorpsForcesKorea’scommander,alongwiththeoldest
MarinepresentretiredWarrantOfficerGeorgeV.Lampman,90,
andtheyoungestMarinepresent,LCPLMarcusWhited,19. – U.S.
Army Photo by Staff Sgt. Mark A. Kauffman and Pfc. Lee, Won-Jun

15. December 01, 2017
Page 15Advertisement

16. www.army.milMORNING CALMPage 16
Story and photos By
Jim McGee
USAG Humphreys Public Affairs
Upon graduating from college in 1985, I
signed up for a July 4th weekend event
called the “Ride Across Massachusetts,”
from Great Barrington on the state’s
western border, to Gloucester, about 40
milesnorthof BostonontheAtlanticcoast.
Ihadrecentlypurchasedanewroadbike
for about $225 and although I had never
cycled morethanafewmilesaroundtown,
I thought a 190-mile, three-day organized
ride through New England sounded like a
greatchallengeandalotof fun.
From the first day in Great Barrington
on the New York border, the camaraderie
with other cyclists, feeling of
accomplishment and sheer joy of riding
60-75 miles a day through the New
Englandcountryside, I knewthatbicycling
would becomealife-longpassion.
I’vedonemanytourssincethen,ranging
from 200-mile weekend rides to a month-
long 2,000-mile journey through Japan.
I’ve discovered that each new adventure is
just as exciting as the last one was. The
ability to travel vast distances powered by
mytwolegsisanincrediblefeeling.
I’ve met strangers who have invited me
into their homes on numerous occasions
just because I was traveling by bicycle.
There are difficult days due to terrain or
weatherwhen I feel less than enthusiastic
aboutcycling butIwakeupeach morning
refreshed and excited to ride regardless of
how difficult the previous day was. Some
of the most enjoyable times in my life
havebeenwhenIwasmilesfromnowhere
aloneon mybike.
Shortly after moving to Pyeongtaek,
South Korea in June 2015, I heard about
the network of bicycle trails that connect
almost every part of this country. It had
been several years since my last long
distance tour but the thought of cycling
through Korea rekindled my passion for
two-wheeled adventure. My excitement
grew as I started doing day trips and
learned more about Korea’s bicycle trail
system, all with the thought of a long ride
across this picturesque country in the
backof mymind.
In early September, I decided it was
time for me to ride the 630-kilometer
Seoul-to-Busan “Four Rivers Trail.”
Without a set schedule or hotel
reservations, I packed mybicyclepanniers
with clothes, toiletries, tools and a few
other necessities including my Korean
bicycle passport and began my journey.
On previous bicycle tours I’ve usually
mixed where I stayed each night between
camping witha tentand sleeping bag and
the luxuryof hotels, this time I decided to
pack lighterand stayin hotels.
Sept. 22. Day 1 Seoul-Gulam-Ri. 115
kilometers(71.5 miles)
Waking up at 4 a.m. to catch the 5:20
a.m. train to Seoul, I seriously questioned
my sanity as I took stock of the dark and
chilly autumn morning. I arrived at
Noranjin train station about 7 a.m. and
cycled two kilometers to the trail along
the Han River in Seoul. I was excited and
slightly nervous, but the ever-warming
sun and beautiful trail quickly
transformed my trepidation into
exhilarating cycling and I covered 50
kilometersby10a.m. Forthoseof youwho
might be considering riding this trail,
know that it is well marked and there are
plenty of convenience stores and rest
stops for the first 70 kilometers. Much of
this section of trail is on old railroad beds
converted to bike paths so there are many
well-lit tunnels and scenic bridges during
thefirst100 kilometers.
I stopped in the small village of Gulam-
Ri about 3 p.m. after cycling 115 kilometers
andgotaroomfor40,000won.Justoutside
of town,IpassedalargefieldwhereKorean
soldiers with armored vehicles and tanks
were conducting an exercise. They waved
and posed as I took a few pictures. Several
hours later those same tanks and armored
vehicles rolled through town kicking up
dust and making a lot of noise. It was a
prettyimpressivesite.
Sept. 23. Day 2 Gulam-Ri Gyochon-
Ri 117 kilometers(72.7 miles)
Ienjoygettinganearlystartwhen I ride.
Undeterred by a cool, hazy, foggy
morning, I was on the road by 7:20 a.m. It
was slow going fora while and despite the
fog the scenery was beautiful. The sun
didn’t show its bright face that day, except
foraveryfewtimes. Itwaswellafter10a.m.
before it warmed up. I arrived at Sangmo,
which looked like it would have been a
very nice place to stay, and a spa town to
boot, with relaxing hot springs. Having
only ridden 88 kilometers thus far, I
decided to push on. I also knew that two
very long hills were ahead of me and
decided I’d rather get them over with at
theend of theday instead of atthestartof
the next. The first steep hill was about 2
1/2 kilometers long with a beautiful-
exhilarating descent. A while later as I
approached the base of the next five-
kilometer hill, I met two Korean cyclists.
They referred to the upcoming hill as the
“hill of pain,” and they weren’t
exaggerating. Doing it at the end of the
day I was able to power through it to the
top and enjoy the thrilling descent down
the other side. It was the longest hill on
the ride thus far and was eight-to-ten
percent grade the whole way. Although I
didn’tknowitatthetime, thenearvertical
climbs were still a day or two away. I
arrived in a little town called Gyochon-Ri
about 5:30 p.m., and found a bicycle-
friendly motel for 30,000 won. There are
many hotels along the way that cater to
cyclists allowing you to bring your bike
intoyourroom orthe hotel lobbywhere it
will be safe and protected from bad
weather.
The first thing I do after checking in
after a day’s ride is to hand wash my
clothes so I can let them dry as long as
possible in hopes they’ll be dry in the
morning. Washing clothes every night
saves on the weight and cargo space that
would betakenupwithexcessclothing.
Sept. 24, Day 3 Gyochong-Ri-
Waegwan131 kilometers(81.4 miles)
Itwasanothercool morningwithalotof
fog but I made pretty good time cycling
through thecountry roadsand farm fields.
Atthefirstpassportstamplocation, I meta
family from Sydney, Australia--a husband
and wife with their teenage son and
daughter. They had also started their
bicycle journey in Seoul, butwe’regoing to
the east coast to cycle the northeastern
trail. A few kilometers later, I encountered
averysteephillthatIreadaboutinacyclist
blog. This 30 percentgradewas impossible
to ride and extremely-difficult to walk up,
especially while pushing a bike. Even the
cyclists with no gear walked their bikes up
this seemingly-unsurmountable obstacle.
The reward for the tough ascent to the
summit
w a s a n
e x h i l a r a t i n g
decent. After reaching the
bottom, the trail entered into a lovely
park followed by the Sangju Bicycle
Museum, a must see for someone on a
long bicycle journey. The entry fee was
1,000 won and the museum had hundreds
of bikes on display and information about
thehistoryanddevelopmentof thebicycle.
Soon after reaching the top, the trail
passed through a park, which was
followed by the Sangju Bicycle Museum –
a must see for someone on a long bicycle
journey. The entry fee was 1,000 won and
the museum was quite interesting with
hundreds of different bikes on display.
These bikes all revolve around the history
anddevelopmentof thebicycle.
Several kilometers after leaving the
museum, I encountered hundreds of
cyclists participating in a mountain bike
race and festival. Part of their course was
on the trail I was riding, but fortunately
they were going in the opposite direction.
While taking a short break around 2 p.m.
two retired couples from New Zealand
stopped fora break as well. I encountered
them several more times on the trail that
afternoon. We talked for a while about
the trail and the many wonderful people
we’dencounteredalong theway.
I cycled a few more kilometers to the
cityof Waegwan, just northof Daegu, and
checked into a motel that cost 48,000
won. This was the first love motel on this
tripand foranextra10,000wonIgotavery
niceVIP suite. The New Zealand couples I
met earlier in the day talked about staying
almost exclusively at love motels because
theywereinexpensiveandeasytofind.
Sept. 25, Day 4 Waegwan-Gyenae-Ri
134.5 kilometers(83.6 miles)
This was the warmest morning thus far
and the first time I didn’t need to wear a
long-sleeved shirt. Although it had only
been a few days, being significantly
further south, the weather change was
very noticeable. About two hours into my
ride, I missed a turn and a Korean man
raced up to meand asked if I wasgoing to
Busan. When I acknowledged that I was,
he informed me that I needed to turn
around. I probably would have found out
soon enough on my own, but it was
extremely kind of him and very typical of
the kindness I encountered along theway
fromstrangers.
It was my best riding day thus far as I
completed 73 kilometersbynoon.Theday
was very hot and the trail was flat for the
Four Rivers Bicycle Trail
renews passion for
Long-distance Bike touring
Day one near the start of the Four
Rivers Cycling Path on the Han River in
Seoul.
Oneofthemanyredboothsalongthe
pathwhereyoucanupdateyour
passportwiththeproperstampsfor
thatlocation.
Manycolorfully-lightedtunnels,which
arepartofaconvertedrailroadbed,
havebeenincorporatedintothe
bikepath.

17. December 01, 2017
Page 17MORNING CALM
first 80 kilometers but it got
incredibly hilly and I began to feel
like I was cycling in the French Alps.
Food and water are scarce on portions
of the trail, with towns or villages being
fewand farbetween. I ranoutof food and
came close to running out of water. My
advice is to always stock up on extra food
and water when you can for those
resource-scarce areas you are bound to
encounteralong theway.
That day also had the roughest sections
of trail thus far; there were some great
areas, but in others the trail was almost
nonexistent. The hills weren’t long but
they were incredibly steep with 13-to-18
percentgrades.
In the early afternoon as I rode through
a valley, I heard beautiful Buddhist
chanting in thedistance. Itgrew louderas
the trail brought me up a hill and into a
Buddhist temple compound where I
spent a little time wandering around. The
trail through the temple grounds to the
top of the hill was incredibly steep and
difficult to ride. The ups and downs
continued throughout the afternoon and
some of the hills were pretty intense.
Despite the exhausting climbs, I was able
tocyclealmost135 kilometersfortheday.
During my last hour of riding, I passed
through a beautiful park covered with
flower fields. At the far end, a small
festival was taking place. In these fields
and on the trail were millions of gnats. At
onepointasI rodethroughathickswarm,
the gnats blanketed me and stuck to my
sweaty body. While my sunglasses
protected my eyes, I may have inhaled or
swallowed a few. I found a
decent hotel in Gyenae-Ri
that only cost 30,000 won.
Once again I was permitted to bring
my bike into the room, which is very safe
and convenient. My top speed of the day
was a dangerously-exhilarating 73
kilometersperhour. LikeI said before, big
climbsusuallycomewith bigdescents.
Sept. 26, Day 5 Gyenae-Ri-Busan 116
kilometers(72.1 miles)
Koreatotal 615 kilometers (382.1 miles)
On my final day of cycling in Korea, I
woke at 6 a.m. and departed before 7:30
a.m. The weather was a little cool but still
warm enough to cycle without a long-
sleeved shirt. Therewas intermittentearly
morning fog and haze, but it eventually
cleared and became very hot before late
morning. I made very good time and
cycled some beautiful sections of trail on
this final leg to Busan. The terrain was
mostly flat with a few rolling hills. The
picturesque trail followed a river almost
theentireway.
Excited to reach my destination, my
average speed was between 25 and 30
kilometersperhour(16-19 milesperhour)
much faster than previous days. I cycled
hard and fast and was at the outskirts of
Busan shortly
after noon. I arrived
at the final passport stamp
booth location and the end of the
Korean portion of the journey. Despite
the trip to that point measuring only 615
kilometers, it felt like a huge
accomplishment.
I went to the certification building and
handed mypassporttotheattendantwho
inspected it to make sure I had all the
proper stamps. He then affixed several
silver and gold seals on a few of the pages
a n d co n g ra t u l a te d m e fo r my
achievement. I filled out some additional
paperwork for them to send an official
certificateinthemail.
Although my tour of “Four Rivers
Cycling Path”wasover, Iwasexcitedabout
the second half of my adventure that
awaited me in Japan. After departing the
final location, I left the trail that had been
my guide road during the last five days
and rode about 15 kilometers through
Busan toreach the international ferryport
terminal. From there I would take an
overnightferrytoShimonoseki, Japan.
I went on to cycle 1,400 kilometers (870
miles) through Kyushu, Japan, which is a
story for another time. My 17-day, 2,000
kilometer (1,243-mile) tour of Korea and
Japan, likeallof mypreviousbicycletours,
was life affirming. The many wonderful
people I met along the way, beautiful
scenery, incredible food, challenging
terrain and the sense of accomplishment
is something I’ll remember for the rest of
mylife.
To view a short video highlight of the
Koreaand Japanride, pleasecheckoutthe
link below.
https://vimeo.com/242831580
Thereweremany
thingstosee
alongtheFour
RiversCycling
Roadincluding
theseROKArmy
soldierstakinga
momenttoposefor
aphotoduringtheir
trainingexercise.
Two
retiredNew
Zealandcouplestakea
breakatoneofthemany
passportstamprest
locations.
Overthecourseof600kilometers,the
cyclingpathtraversedmany
parksandfields.This
beautifulflowerfieldwas
nearthevillageofGyenae-ri
just100kilometersfrom
Busan.
Asteepclimband
awelldeservedbreakata
Buddhisttemplecompound
ondayfour.
Cool,foggyand
peacefulmorningsare
quitecommonduringearly
Autumn.
Iproudly
displaymybicycle
passportatthefinalstopinBusan
atkilometermarker633.
Busan
Seoul

18. www.army.milMORNING CALMPage 18
Story and photo By Bob McElroy
USAG Humphreys Public Affairs
CAMP HUMPHREYS, Korea – The Camp Humphreys Education Center
hosted a week filled with knowledge, opportunities and success stories
tocommemorate American Education Week Nov. 13-17 here.
This year’s theme: “Army Continuing Education: Achieving Academic
Excellence While Serving” reflects the education center’s philosophy of
providing maximum opportunities for Soldiers, Civiliansand Families.
American Education Week dates back nearly 100 years. It began as a
combined initiative of the American Legion veterans group and the Na-
tional Education Association. Concerned that 25 percentof World War I
draftees were illiterate, the Legion and NEA met to determine how to
gain publicsupport foreducation.
Conventions from both organizations adopted resolutions of support
to raise public awareness of the importance of education and, on Dec. 4,
1921, the first American Education Week occurred. In the years that fol-
lowed other government and private organizations, e.g. the U.S. Depart-
ment of Education, the national PTA, American Federation of Teachers,
etc. joined theeffortasco-sponsors.
American Education Week isalways theweek beforeThanksgiving.
Education Week offered many opportunities for everyone to learn
more about what the Education Center offers to the community. Several
Soldiers, including featured speaker Master Sgt. Akinola Oladipo of U.S.
Army Garrison Humphreys headquarters, offered their success stories.
In each case the Soldier stressed the need to be determined, dedicated
and resilient.
Editor’s note--See follow-on articledetailing Soldierstories.
The center hosts three on-post schools: Troy University, University of
Maryland University College-Asia, and Embry Riddle Aeronautical Uni-
versitywith degrees ranging from associates to masters.
Additionally the Education Center has a National Testing Center that
hosts the College Level Examination Program testing and proctoring
third-party exams. The current term has begun, the next term is sched-
uled for January 2018.
American Education Week at the Humphreys Education Center also
featured a variety of workshops and briefings lined up for the event:
Free Application for Federal Student Aid, Officer Candidate
School, Army Medical Department opportunities, the Warrant
Officer Program, transition services, Veterans Administra-
tion and Army Community Service. x
Story and photo By Bob McElroy
USAG Humphreys Public Affairs
CAMP HUMPHREYS, Korea – The Camp Humphreys Education Center
hosted a week filled with knowledge, opportunities and success stories
tocommemorate American Education Week Nov. 13-17 here.
This year’s theme: “Army Continuing Education: Achieving Academic
Excellence While Serving” reflects the education center’s philosophy of
providing maximum opportunities for Soldiers, Civiliansand Families.
American Education Week dates back nearly 100 years. It began as aAmerican Education Week dates back nearly 100 years. It began as a
combined initiative of the American Legion veterans group and the Na
tional Education Association. Concerned that 25 percentof World War I
draftees were illiterate, the Legion and NEA met to determine how to
gain publicsupport foreducation.
Conventions from both organizations adopted resolutions of support
to raise public awareness of the importance of education and, on Dec. 4,
1921, the first American Education Week occurred. In the years that fol
lowed other government and private organizations, e.g. the U.S. Depart
ment of Education, the national PTA, American Federation of Teachers,
etc. joined theeffortasco-sponsors.
American Education Week isalways theweek beforeThanksgiving.
Education Week offered many opportunities for everyone to learn
more about what the Education Center offers to the community. Several
Soldiers, including featured speaker Master Sgt. Akinola Oladipo of U.S.
Army Garrison Humphreys headquarters, offered their success stories.
In each case the Soldier stressed the need to be determined, dedicated
and resilient.
Editor’s note--See follow-on articledetailing Soldierstories.
The center hosts three on-post schools: Troy University, University of
Maryland University College-Asia, and Embry Riddle Aeronautical Uni
versitywith degrees ranging from associates to masters.
Additionally the Education Center has a National Testing Center that
hosts the College Level Examination Program testing and proctoring
third-party exams. The current term has begun, the next term is sched
uled for January 2018.
American Education Week at the Humphreys Education Center also
featured a variety of workshops and briefings lined up for the event:
Free Application for Federal Student Aid, Officer Candidate
School, Army Medical Department opportunities, the Warrant
Officer Program, transition services, Veterans Administra
tion and Army Community Service.
GeraldineW.Hicks,directorofthe
HumphreysArmyEducationCenter,
offeredcaketothosewhoattendedthe
openingceremonyforAmerican
EducationWeek2017.
Humphreys
celebrates Army
Education Week with
seminars, information
and success stories

19. December 01, 2017
Page 19Advertisement

20. www.army.milMORNING CALMPage 20
MasterSgt.AkinolaOladipowasthefeaturedspeakerat
theopeningofAmericanEducationWeekattheCamp
HumphreysArmyEducationCenter.Oladipostressedthe
importanceofeducationforcareerprogressionand
qualityoflife.
Story and photo By Bob McElroy
USAG Humphreys Public Affairs
CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea - Each year the Camp
Humphreys Army Education Center hosts American
Education Week. The event features a wealth of
information, seminars and opportunities for community
members to learn about what the center offers as well as
thechancetoenhancetheireducation.
This year’s theme: “Army Continuing Education:
Achieving Academic Excellence While Serving” reflects
the education center’s philosophy of providing maximum
opportunities forSoldiers, Civiliansand Families.
Three Soldiers spoke during the week and shared their
success stories, the first Master Sgt. Akinola Oladipo,
Headquarters, U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys, stressed
that education is within reach for everyone who was
determined, dedicated and had the discipline to stick
with it.
“Twenty years ago I joined the military, for money, for
college. My intention was to do fouryears and get out,” he
said.
Oladipoenlisted in the Infantryand soon found he had
little personal time for anything, especially college given
his busy schedule of field training, rotations and other
duties.
“I went to education center and signed up for college
and in my first two years it was really, really difficult, we
wenttothefield a lotand I had todropoutof classes.”
Oladipofound asolution to his busyschedulewhen the
Army unveiled E Army U, an E-learning program the
Army created to provide Soldiers the opportunity to earn
a degree by taking classes online from any location at any
time.
Hesigned upforE Army U and overtheyearsearned an
associate’s degree, two bachelor’s degrees—one in
accounting, the other in business administration—and a
dual master’s degree in Organizational Leadership and
Human Resources Management.
“Don’t let anybody tell you thatyou can’t do it,” Oladipo
said. “I did all that through deployments, through
National Training Center rotations, even while being a
firstsergeantat Fort Benning, Georgia.”
Oladipo calls his philosophy Three Ds that equal 12 As.
Hesaid thisphilosophy helped himearn 12 Agrades in his
collegecourses.
“Determination: if you want to do something you have
to be determined to do it. When you wake up with
determinationyougoto bed withsatisfactioneveryday.”
“Dedication: dedicatetimetodoeverythingyouwantto
do,” he said. “Make education one of those things you
dedicatetimeto.”
“Discipline: havethedisciplinetostudywhenothersare
playing.”
“Devotion: when someone is devoted, they will devote
timetosomething. If you’re not,youwon’tdo it.”
Oladipo said everyone should take advantage of the
education opportunities the Army offers through the
education center. He said the Army has paid for
everything withrespectto hiseducation.
“Why not take the advantage? 60 percent of the people
who join the Army joined forcollege but 90 percent never
go. Do you know why? Because they didn’t do a single
class while they were in. You have to get in the habit of
doing something, even if it’s one class per semester, that
will getthe ball rolling,” Oladiposaid.
Beforeyou know it, little by littleyouwill haveadegree.
A year from now I don’t want you to say ‘I wish I had
started today.’ I’m not tell you itwill beeasy but I’m telling
you at the end of the day it will be well worth the effort,”
hesaid.
Thursday was the day for two other Soldiers to shine
and sharetheireducational successstories.
Spc. Madinah English, 501st Signal Company, came to
the Army from a civilian career as an athletic trainer with
a bachelor’sdegree in AthleticTraining (Sports Medicine)
from theUniversityof South Floridaand amaster’sdegree
in Healthand Human Performance.
After she graduated from college English worked as an
athletic trainer, a physical therapist and taught athletic
training for several years. But she knew she needed a
change.
“I was burntoutfromdoingall that, so Ienlisted to have
another career without going into debt, I had student
loandebtstill topayfrom mastersstudies,” Englishsaid. “I
wanted togetanotherskill setwithoutgoing intodebt.”
English said that because she has a degree she was
geared toward Officer Candidate School but while in
basic training she learned her GT score of 109 was too low
toget into OCS—she needed a 110. She took the testagain
and herscoredropped to 99.
Not dissuaded, English decided to wait until she
finished Advanced Individual Training and then work on
raising herGTscore.
As soon as she arrived at Camp Humphreys English
visited the Humphreys Education Center. She spoke with
counselors and did everything she needed to raise her GT
score.
Came to the education center as soon as she came to
Korea. Did everything she needed todo, studied hard and
raised herGTscoreto 126.
English said that she’s still interested in earning an
officer’s commission but is not sure OCS is the path to
take.
I still want to be a commissioned officer but, with my
medical background, I’m not sure I want to be an officer
whocan beplaced anywhere, shesaid.
English said she will explore other paths to commission
and maygo intotheArmy’s Physical Therapycareerfield.
As she closed her remarks, English shared some
wisdomshe’sgained along theway.
Always haveaplan foryour life, my momstressed going
tocollege. I’ve had aplansince middleschool.
English said that while having a plan is important one
must be flexible in the face of change. She said that she
never expected to join the military but things changed in
herlifeand led herto it. She isglad shedid and enjoys it.
Next, English said to expect delays and roadblocks to
your progress because it prepares you for when you
encounterthem.
“If you expect it, you can pick up and move forward,”
shesaid.
Next for English is sacrifice; be willing to sacrifice to get
whatyouwant.
Discipline. Tosucceedonemustbedisciplined,whether
it’sstudying, working, attending class, etc.
“If youaren’tyouwon’tgetwhatyouwant,” Englishsaid.
Finally, Englishadvised tenacityand persistence.
“Nevergiveup, you’re nevertooold todowhatyouwant
todo,” sheconcluded.
ThenextSoldiersuccessstorycamefrom Spc. Benjamin
Ziegler who enlisted in the Army to become a pilot. Soon
though, he learned that his GT of 96 was too low to
qualify.
And so he visited the Education Center and asked for
help.
The staff also signed him up for the Test of Adult Basic
Education. Theresultsweredisappointing to him.
“I tested in math at the sixth-grade level and reading at
the ninthgrade level,” Zieglersaid.
Zieglersigned upfortheBasicSkills Education Program
toraise hisscores.
The people were great, they focused on math and
English, reading comprehension,” Ziegler said. “I took a
TABE test after and raised all my scores to a twelfth-grade
level.”
Zieglerfelt hewasready totest tosee if his GTscorewas
higher. Theeducation centerstaff counseled patienceand
recommended he take some practice tests before the real
one.
“I took two Armed Forces Classification Test practice
tests, then real one and thought: ‘I bombed it’ but they
said ‘No,’ you got a 115. I couldn’t believe it, I was so
excited.” x
Soldiersuccess
storiesshow
howeachachieved
academicexcellence
“
”

21. December 01, 2017
Page 21Advertisement

22. U.S.ForcesKoreahonorsVeteransonNov.11U.S.ForcesKoreahonorsVeteransonNov.11
U.S. Army photos by Bob McElroy
USAG Humphreys Public Affairs
CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea – U.S. Forces Korea
commander Gen. Vincent K. Brooks led the first USFK
Veterans Day Observance at the Eighth Army Memorial
on Nov 11 here. Hewas joined bysenior Republicof Korea
military personnel and the leadershipof a numberof vet-
eransgroups; all placed flowertributeson the memorial.
Veterans Day honors U.S. military veterans who have
served and continue to serve. It began on Nov. 11, 1918 as
Armistice Day, to commemorate the end of World War I.
The United States renamed the holiday Veterans Day in
1954.
Previous years’ ceremonies were held at the memorial
in Yongsan. When Eighth Army moved to Camp Hum-
phreys in July their memorial was moved too. It stands
behind Eighth Army Headquarters building.
www.army.milMORNING CALMPage 22
U.S.ForcesKoreacommanderGen.
VincentK.Brooksdeliveredabriefspeech
extollingtheserviceandsacrificeof
Veteranspastandpresent.Membersof
theRepublicofKoreaArmyaswellas
severalveteransgroupsjoinedhim.
TheU.S.ForcesKoreaHonorGuardstood
tallontheEighthArmyMemorialduring
theVeteransDayobservanceNov.11.The
memorialcametoCampHumphreyswhen
theEighthArmyHeadquartersrelocated
hereinJuly.
CampHumphreysScoutswereoneofseveral
groupstoplacecommemorativeflowerson
theEighthArmyMemorial.
Soldier Spotlight
Cavalry Trooper followed in father’s footsteps
Editor’s Note — 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, based at Fort Hood,
Texas is in the midst of a nine-month rotational assignment to Korea. While here they are based
at Camp Humphreys. This brief comes courtesy of the brigade’s Facebook page.
This week we meet Spc. Joe Harris, an 11B
(Infantryman) from Company C, 1st
Battalion, 9th Calvary Regiment. Harris
hails from Erie, Pennsylvania where he grew
up by Lake Erie.
Harris serves as the gunner for his Bradley
Fighting Vehicle. He joined the Army to
follow in the footstepsof his father.
“My dad was a Veteran and I was 27 and
felt like I was running out of time to be a
Veteran myself. I just said to myself that I
wasgoing to join now.”
His hobbies include fishing, crafts and
painting. He enjoys the many lakes Texas
has to offer as it reminds him of growing up
on Lake Erie.
“I just completed FAST Class to raise my
GT score. I am looking at other MOS’s such
as Military Intelligence,” Harris said of his
short-term goals in the Army. “I don’t want
to get out of Army until I complete a
(college) degree.”
Harris enjoys the combined training with
the Republicof Korea Army Soldiers.
“When I joined the Army, I never thought
I would be in the position I am now. There
are thousands of Soldiers here (in Korea)
but only a few are actually picked to be here
right now.”

23. December 01, 2017
Page 23Advertisement

24. By Intern Bok, So-jeong
USAG Daegu Public Affairs
USAG DAEGU, South Korea – We consume a lot of
energy because it’s an essential part of day to day life;
wecan’t livewithout it. However, excessiveuseof energy
sources such as oil, coal and gas are taking a toll on the
planet. In an effort to slow the damage and preserve the
environment, many countries are trying to identify and
develop alternative energy. Sunlight is one of the
renewableenergysources manyareconsidering.
The United States Army Garrison Daegu Directorate
of Public Works has joined in the quest and is currently
working on renewableenergy projects using sunlight.
The solar tube lighting program began in 2014 as a
green, renewable energy project. It harnesses natural
sunlight through pipes and uses it to brighten interior
spaces without using electricity or light bulbs. As of
today, there are eight buildings outfitted with solar
tubes at Camp Carroll, and six more due to receive
installations.
“We basically utilize natural sunlight on sunny days
and distribute the sunlight to the interior spaces,” said
Joshua J. Seo, garrison energy manager. “Therefore, we
put in a large solar tube which is a physical tube on the
roof, but it’s not connected to any utility systems. There
is a technology and lighting mechanism in every solar
tube. Finally, we can make inner spaces bright without
using theelectricity.”
DPW took on this project to meet the Army
requirement for renewable energy and green
technology (eco-friendlyenergyproducts). Considering
the land size of the garrison as well as the geographical
location, the DPW energy team discovered that other
solar-based projectscost too much money, but thesolar
tube is a relatively inexpensive product that serves as a
nice alternative solution for other renewable energy
projects.
“We’regoing to havesix buildings more thatare being
installed. It will be completed in July or August, 2018.
By the end of next summer, we will have a total of 14
projects. Butafterthoseprojectsarecompleted, we have
a plan to get a few more buildings that are suitable to
put up solar tubes. At least four more buildings are
being considered,” said Seo.
Last year, about one percent of Camp Carroll’s total
energywas utilized through solartube lighting systems.
Though it seems to be a small percentage, it shows
great potential for the project to grow and expand. It is
anticipated that about $80,000 per year is saved
through this project. Thecostof the projectdepends on
the size of the building but the actual cost can range
from $30,000 to $450,000 per building.
“Solartubesdefinitely havea lotof benefits. Whenwe
first took the project, most buildings that we retrofitted
with solartubes had very poor light. Theywere utilizing
really inefficient light bulbs, and they had mercury,
which is fairly hazardous to human health,” said Seo.
“Therefore, we got rid of all the light bulbs and put in
the new solar tubes which made the place
environmentally-friendly as well giving us a higher
safety rating. Also, after the light bulbs had been
changed, workers were pleased with the lighting
conditions. Wecan saveenergycostsaswell.”
Solar tube lighting does have its drawbacks. For
example, when it’s cloudy, the solar tubes are
nonfunctional because if there’s no sun, there’s no light
being funneled through. So, the energy team decided
to set up regular LED lights in the buildings to
compensate for days with low light. The problem they
experienced in the first couple of years was that some
peoplewould turnon the LED lightseven though itwas
sunnyoutside.
“To solve the problem, we put in control sensors. If
it’s bright enough, the other lights will turn off
automatically. But then, it’s a pricy project compared to
others. So, that could be anotherdrawback. However, it
definitely fits our requirement to meet both renewable
energyand green technology,” mentioned Seo.
The energy team has been highly successful with the
solar tube lighting project, meeting the Army’s
requirements forgreen technology and complying with
Installation Management Command regulations for
renewable energy and green initiatives. In 2017, the
garrison energy team received the Secretary of the
Army Award for Best Energy Conservation, proving
theyare the best in their field.
“Renewable energy is great and fancy, but we still
have to be mindful about our habits and behaviors
toward energy and water usage,” said Seo. “We believe
everyone’s small attention makes big a difference to our
overall energy and waste reduction. We certainly hope
everyone is in with making USAG Daegu a greener
community to liveand work.” x
InsideviewoftheU.S.ArmyMaterielSupportCommand
-Koreawarehouse atCampCarrollinstalledwithsolartube
lightingsystem.
www.army.milMORNING CALMPage 24
Solartubelightingsystemis
shiningachievementfor
USAGDaeguEnergyTeam
FifthofanongoingseriesaboutenvironmentalinitiativesatUSAGDaegu

25. December 01, 2017
Page 25Advertisement

26. www.army.milMORNING CALMPage 26
Sgt.Maj.RamonInciriaga,theformer
seniorenlistedadvisorfortheKorean
ServiceCorpsBattalion,Materiel
SupportCommand-Korea,19th
ExpeditionarySustainmentCommand
standsnexttohiswife,AmandaO.
Inciriagaduringaretirementceremony
heldinhishonorNov.2atUnitedStates
ArmyGarrisonYongsan,Seoul,Korea.
— U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Tommy
Spitzer
Technology connects Military
family on Special day
By Sgt. 1st Class Vincent Abril
and Intern Kim, Un-chong
19th ESC Public Affairs
USAG DAEGU, South Korea- In today’s
busy and bustling world, people are often
unable to attend the significant life events
of family members or friends. This is espe-
cially true for military families stationed
at home or abroad. Weddings, birthdays,
promotions and graduations are examples
of such events everyone would want their
loved ones toattend.
Had it not been for today’s technology
connecting people around the globe in-
stantly, thiswould havesurely been thecase
for two parents stationed in Seoul, Korea,
nearly 7,000 miles away from their children
in El Paso, Texas.
On the day of one Soldier’s special cer-
emony, a popular application commonly
used on computers and smart phones,
helped bridge thegapof Familyseparation.
“Unbeknownst to me, my wife made
prior coordination with my kids and my
battalion commander to have loved ones
attend the ceremony via the internet,” said
Sgt. Maj. Ramon Inciriaga, the former se-
nior enlisted advisor for the Korean Service
Corps Battalion, Materiel Support Com-
mand-Korea, 19th Expeditionary Sustain-
ment Command. “When I walked into the
venue, I noticed big TVs projecting videoof
my children and my father, and I was com-
pletely blown awaywith emotion.”
Rightfully so, as Inciriaga was being rec-
ognized for 31 years of active federal service
during a formal change of responsibility
and retirement ceremony held in his honor
on Nov. 2 at United States Army Garrison
Yongsan, Seoul, Korea.
He explained that during his first tour
to South Korea in 1994, he was lucky if he
was able to get a landline to call back home
and also explained how much things have
changed since then. Now, Korea is said to
have the fastest internetspeed in theworld.
“Back in the day, we relied on still photos
to capture special events that didn’t really
tell the whole story,” said Inciriaga. “With
this new technology, my dad and my kids
were able to see the 17 companies in my
battalion standing behind, supporting me,
and they saw the importance of such a sig-
nificantevent.”
Inciriaga’s wife, Amanda O. Inciriaga, or-
chestrated the surprise with the help of the
KSC battalion commander, Lt. Col. Adam
Lowmaster, who insisted the stateside fam-
ilyattend theceremonyvia the internet.
“As a retired communications officer of
the U.S. Air Force, I was able to witness
just how quickly technology has changed
throughout the years, and it is amazing,”
said Amanda, a native of Tuskegee, Al-
abama. “To see his face when he finally
realized that his dad and our children were
actually live on TV from the U.S., was a sur-
prise in and of itself.”
With the cat out of the bag, the family
went on to see their loved one transfer
his responsibility to the incoming senior
enlisted advisor of the KSC battalion, Sgt.
Maj. Mark Floryance. Shortly after, the In-
ciriaga’s familywitnessed their Soldierclose
the chapter on a successful 31-year military
career.
“I love the Army very much,” said In-
ciriaga. “These past 31 years have had its
challenges and many proud moments, and
I would do itall again in a heartbeat.” x
Daughters (left to right): Krystal (28), Krystinna (26) and Jeanine (21) of Sgt. Maj. Ramon
Inciriaga,theformerseniorenlistedadvisorfortheKoreanServiceCorpsBattalion,Materiel
SupportCommand-Korea,19thExpeditionarySustainmentCommandwatchtheirfather’s
militaryretirementceremonyfromElPaso,Texasviaaninternetapplication,Nov.2.
Inciriaga’s other children Amanda (24), Brianna (22), Alfonso III (15) and his own father
AlfonsoSr.,alsotunedintowatchtheceremonyfromotherlocationsaroundElPaso,Texas.
— U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Tommy Spitzer

27. December 01, 2017
Page 27Advertisement

28. www.army.milMORNING CALMPage 28
Ltc.GeorgeS.Crockatt,arepresentativeofU.S.ForcesKorea,andcommander
ofthe837thTransportationBattalion,givesa wordofhonortoKim,Duk-hyung
andhissonforburying11 fallenU.S.Airmen72yearsagoandmaintainingtheir
memorial.
AirCorpscrewthatcrashedonNamhaeIsland,Aug.7,1945
Toprow(lefttoright):SteveWales,nosegun;EdMillsJr.,pilot;NickSimonich,co-pilot;
JoeOrenbuch,navigator;RonJohnson,bombardier;WalterHoover,gun.
Frontrow(lefttoright):JimMurray,engineer;HenryRuppert,radaroperator;Warren
Tittsworth,topgun;JohnRegnault,radiooperator;TomBurnworth,tailgun.
By So, Ki-chun
USAG Daegu Public Affairs
USAG DAEGU, South Korea - Every fall when the
leaves begin to turn and the air takes on a chill, one
man sets about his work in honoring the memory
of 11 fallen U.S. Airmen by keeping a promise his
father made more than 70 years ago. This year, the
Namhae memorial ceremony was held on Nov. 3 in
Namhae County, marking its 72nd anniversary
since 1945.
On Aug. 7, 1945, during the colonization of Korea
by the Japanese and just eight days before the end
of thewar in the Pacific, a U.S. Army Air Corps B-24
Liberator bomber from the 868th Bombardment
Squadron departed from Okinawa to conduct an
armored search from Hwa-do Island near Jeju up
the southeastern coast of Korea to Busan and back
to Okinawa. The plane never returned. Instead, the
bomber, piloted by Lt. Edward Mills Jr. crashed into
the side of Mangwoon mountain, a 3000-foot peak
on Namhae Island.
Kim, Duk-hyung, who was working as a civil
servant for the Namhae County government at the
time, joined Japanese and Korean laborers in
climbing the mountain to strip the site of usable
parts, but upon discovering that noone intended to
inter the men, Kim took it upon himself to bury
them, gathering as much identifying material as
possible before stacking a mound of rocks atop the
graveand topping itwith a pinecross.
The next day, when the Japanese police heard
about the burial, Kim was arrested, confined and
tortured. Fortunately, the war ended shortly
thereafter on Aug. 15 and he awoke to an unlocked
cell and an abandoned jailhouse.
Intime, heinformed theU.S.of theburial location
and helped to repatriate their remains, bringing
closure to family members who might otherwise
neverhaveknownthefateof theirlovedones.
As a tribute to their sacrifice, Mr. Kim raised
enough funds by 1956 to erect a 12-foot granite
monument atop Mangwoon Mountain, and by
1989, he had established a memorial hall in
Namhae City. Kim held the ceremony each year
from 1945 until his death in 2010 when his eldest
son, Mr. Kim, Jong-ki, took over. He has continued
to honor the tradition, stating “My father always
told us the reason he continued this memorial. He
emphasized the U.S. Soldiers’ sacrifices which
helped our country to be liberated from Japanese
rule and protected our country from North Korea
during the Korean War.”
Lt. Col. George S. Crockatt, a representative of
U.S. Forces Korea, and commander of the 837th
Transportation Battalion, said in his memorial
remarks “This occasion should remind all of us that
freedom and peace must not be taken forgranted.”
The 11 Airmen were the only known casualties in
Koreaduring World War II. x
Namhaememorial,aLegacyofHumanity
Groupphotoof participantsinthe72ndmemorialserviceinhonorofelevenU.S.Airmenkilledinaction
duringWorldWarII,includingMr.Kim,Jong-ki,sonofMr.Kim, Duk-hyung,Ltc.GeorgeS.Crockatt,and
membersoftheKoreanWarVeterans'Association.

29. selected as Korea’s representative festival for 4 consecutive years
over 60 kinds of experience program from Jan. 6 to 28 next year
Thewinterfestivalsof thewholecountryarestrugglingwithclimate
warming,butHwacheonSancheoneoFestivalhasnoproblem!Thanks
togeographiccondition,coldairfreezestheplaceof festivalnexttothe
valley. Accumulated experience over 10 years and precise flow control
capabilityenablesoptimalfreezing.Duringthefestivalperiod,thesafety
and rescueteam isdiving tomeasurethethicknessof iceeveryday.
The know-how of Hwacheon Sancheoneo Festival using weather
information is becomingamodel forotherlocal festivals. TheKorea
Meteorological Administration has selected ‘Nara’, the foundation
of Hwacheon Sancheoneo Festival, as an excellent organization for
weather management. It is the first festival organization in Korea.
The keyword that comes up with Hwacheon Sancheoneo Festival is
newness.Theonlythingthathasnotchangedfor15yearssincethefestival
beganistheirslogan:“Unfreezablehumaneness,unmeltablememories.”
The Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival has blown the prejudice
that it could be monotonous in terms of fishing as a main activity.
However, it hosts with more than 60 kinds of contents to see, enjoy,
and taste, including the main event such as Sancheon ice fishing
and barefoot fishing.
Santa Claus from Finland will greet children at the Santa’s Post
Officethatwillbeheldinthecastleof icebear.Thisyear,Hwacheon-
gunreceivedtheexclusiverightsfortheflagshipof Santa’sPostOffice
in Korea from the Finland Post Office.
Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival have various selection of
activitytoenjoy,suchasicefishing, barefootfishing,world icesleigh
ridingexperience,bobsleigh,wintersportszone,skies,creativesleigh
making contest, angel’s day, winter international symposium, ice
country broadcasting station, winter culture village, etc. For more
information,pleasecheckthefestivalinformationavailableatthesite.
You can also enjoy village festivals, Baroparo Winter Festival,
Dongdong Festival, and Mountain Land of Childrenavailableatthe
time of Hwacheon Sancheoneo Festival.
Website: http://ice.narafestival.com
Questions? Office of Hwacheon County: 033-440-2328
Address:강원도 화천군 화천읍 화천새싹길 45(45,Hwacheonsaessak-
gil,Hwacheon-eup,Hwacheon-gun,Gangwon-do,Korea24125)
2018 Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival will start on January 6,
butthe festival seasonwill starton December23 withstreet lighting
ceremony. At the Seo Volcano Square, the world’s largest indoor ice
sculpture plaza, which is made up by 32 professional technicians
fromtheExpoCenterinHarbin,willbeopenedatthesametime.Sky
lanternswith27,000ofHwacheonpeople’swisheswillbeilluminating
the night of Hwacheon until next February.
When the festival begins, the streets turn into a huge nightclub.
At the streets of car-free zone, events of DJ shows, performance of
popular singers, and street performing (busking) will be held every
weekend.Avarietyof foodcourtsarealsoavailable. Eventof evening
fishing holds for two hours starting at 7:00 pm during the festival.
Free coupons are offered to tourists staying in Hwacheon.
One of the prides of Hwacheon Hwacheon Festival is a gift
certificate with a certain amount to return if admission fee is paid.
Therearetwotypesofgiftcertificatesthatarevalidduringthefestival:
Specialty Sharing Certificate and Hwacheon Love Gift Certificate.
You can get the certificate of Specialty Sharing at the site or
reservation of ice fishing and barefoot fishing. Hwacheon Love Gift
Certificatecanbereturnedwhenyouuseactivityprogramsuchasice
sleigh riding, bobsleigh, snow sleigh, skyclear, world biggest indoor
ice sculpture square. Certificate of Specialty Sharing can be used at
thefarmproductsstore. HwacheonLoveGiftCertificatecanbeused
ascashat therestaurants, lodging facilities, conveniencestores, and
gas stations throughout Hwacheon.
2018HwacheonSancheoneoIceFestivalwilltakeplaceinHwacheon,Gangwon-do,theborderregion
from January 6 to 28 next year. The world’s four great winter festivals that create a new paradigm of
winter festival, Hwacheon Sancheoneo Festival will welcome the people of the world with new fun and
excitement this year. Here we introduce everything of Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival.
The National Winter Festival
‘Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival’
Enjoy Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice
Festival at peace!
2018 Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice
Festival, the only thing that hasn’t
changed is their slogan!
The better you know, more enjoyable!
Information
Pleasure of the festival that goes on
through the night
Enjoy the festivals with Hwacheon Love
Gift Certificate
ChoiMoon-Soo,whoisinchargeof leadingthefestival,said,“This
festival iswhereyou can feel thewarmthand appreciationaswell as
the excitement and fun.” “We will do our best to bring memorable
winter memories to all of you whovisit the festival.
Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival
offers unforgettable winter memories
Aerophoto of Ice Fishing
Hwacheon Symbolic Tower
Hwacheon Santa’s PostOffice
Lane Street of Night Festival
Measuring Thickness of Ice
World’s largest indoor ice sculpture square
Foreigners at Ice FishingForeigners at Ice Fishing
The population of Hwacheon is only 27,000 but more than one
million touristsvisit Hwacheon toenjoy Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice
Festival every winter. Through the Sancheoneo Festival that holds
in Januaryeveryyear, Hwacheon hasalreadyannounced its nameas
the place of winter festival.
The Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival was selected as a
preliminary festival by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in 2004
and has been recognized asapromising festival in 2007. Since then,
it has won the best festival title for the fourth consecutiveyearsince
2010,followingthe2008festival.Andfinally,ittookthetitleof ‘Korea
Representative Festival’ for last fourconsecutiveyears since 2014.
In particular, it was selected as the world’s 7 wonders by Lonely
Planetin2011,anditbecameknownallovertheworldthroughCNN.
Receivingworldwideattention,foreignerswhovisitedtheHwacheon
Festival in 2017 exceeded 100,000, the greatest numberever.
Hwacheonhassignedajointpublicrelationscontractwithmajortravel
agencies in Southeast Asia including China this year and has attracted
foreigntouristsbyattendingvariousinternationaltravelexpositions.
December 01, 2017
Page 29Advertisement

30. Page 30 www.army.milMORNING CALM
AreaIVSoldiers,DepartmentofDefensecivilians
andtheirfamiliesparticipateinateadrinking
ceremonywhilevisitingtheDalseongKorea-
JapanFriendshipCenterNov.4,atGachang-
myun,Korea.— U.S. Army photo by Intern
Cho, Young-cheol
AreaIVSoldiers,DepartmentofDefenseciviliansand
theirfamiliesparticipatedinakimchimakingevent,Nov.4,
atGachang-myun,Korea.— U.S. Army photo by
Intern Cho, Young-cheol
By Intern Cho, Young-cheol
19th ESC Public Affairs
USAG DAEGU, South Korea- Area IV Soldiers,
Department of Defense civilians and their
families participated in a kimchi-making
event, Nov. 4, at Gachang-myun.
The event, hosted by the non-profit organi-
zation, People to People International, took
place at a local business. According to Chul-
won Lee, president of the Daegu Chapter of
PTPI, the nonprofit is an all-volunteer organi-
zation founded by former U.S. President
Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1956.
The PTPI mission, according to its website,
is to facilitate understanding of world cultures
and promote friendship through many learn-
ing events and activities in order to share and
experience cultures of many different coun-
tries.
Since its beginnings, PTPI has built a net-
work of more than 23,700 members in 160
countries, to include South Korea. The Daegu
Chapter carries out the organizations mission
by advocating for positive Republic of Korea
and U.S. relations and by hosting numerous
social and cultural learning events.
This ROK-U.S. friendship event offered to
members of Area IV was no different. Nearly
50 participants from PTPI and more than 30
participants from Area IV joined forces for a
good cause.
Before suiting up, opening remarks were
made and all in attendance received a detailed
demonstration on how to prepare kimchi.
“I would like to thank the PTPI organization
because the ROK-U.S alliance is very import-
ant to us and I think it’s great that we’ve been
invited to this cultural event,” said Sieglinde
Gruber-Russell, wife of Brig. Gen. Michel M.
Russell Sr., the commanding general of the
19th Expeditionary Sustainment Command. “I
always appreciate learning about cultures and
traditions, this was actually one of my favorite
cultural events to attend because I got to learn
how to make kimchi.”
Before diving into the kimchi-making pro-
cess, participants donned hygienic suits and
gloves in order to make kimchi in a sterile en-
vironment. The participants, alongside their
ROK hosts, then set out to work in teams to
become proficient kimchi makers.
After a couple of hours, the teams filled sev-
eral large boxes with kimchi, which they were
able to test during a Korean traditional lunch
provided by PTPI.
“This was very cool because I’ve never made
kimchi before and it was a great experience,”
said 1st Lt. Sabrina Black, with the 2-1 Air De-
fense Artillery, Camp Carroll, Waegwan, Ko-
rea. “I tasted just a little bit of kimchi and it
wasverygood.”
After lunch, Lee and other members of
PTPI, delivered 14 boxes of kimchi to a local
charity in order to help underprivileged
households.
“This was my first time participating in a
PTPI event and I’m really pleased to learn the
Koreancultureand tosupportunderprivileged
people,” said Mrs. Davahn Chanthamalinh,
spouse of Cpt. Youthana K. Chanthamalinh,
an information technology officer in charge
with the 2nd Infantry Division Sustainment
Brigade at Camp Carroll. “I was really excited
to bea partof thisenthusiasticgroup.”
Later in the day, the group was treated to a
tour of the Dalseong Korea-Japan Friendship
Center nearby. The group learned the history
of cultural exchanges between Korea and Ja-
pan and tea drinking etiquette before partici-
pating in a tea drinking ceremony which was
theculminating eventof theday.
“Honestly, I was so impressed that all the
participants were satisfied with the event and
were able to get a better understanding of Ko-
rean traditionsand culture,” said In-cheol Ryu,
the secretariat of the PTPI Daegu Chapter. “I
hope we can host these kinds of cultural ex-
changeevents moreand more.” x
AreaIVSoldiers,DepartmentofDefenseciviliansand
theirfamiliesparticipatedinakimchimakingevent,Nov.4,
PTPIKimchi-makingtour
providesnewexperiencefor“Team19”

31. December 01, 2017
Page 31Advertisement

32. www.army.milAdvertisementPage 32